However, the film is being heavily censored and the Indian Film Certification Board objected to numerous scenes from the Bond film, including the kissing scenes between the lead stars. But here is a punch to him from Indian Censors. “The length of the kisses were found to be unnecessarily excessive”, a source at the board told the DNA news website. India still accounts for a fraction of Hollywood’s revenues, but franchises like James Bond and the Avengers can beat Bollywood’s own productions at the box office.
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“He does these kind of things”, Pandit said. Which is why smoking, drinking, kissing, hugging even lip-biting scenes are always artistically censored out.
The film opened with a small montage of Laing seemingly talking to Bond, whose image was emblazoned on a poster advertising the film, before she jokingly instructed him to take over and the screen came alive, as she took her seat.
Upcoming Bond film “Spectre” which has already launched world over can be showcased in India from Friday (November 20) onwards. Whereas “Casino Royale” and “Skyfall” featured a Bond that could fall in love or desire a mother figure, “Spectre” throws Bond a villain, whose father had housed Bond for two winters during Bond’s lonely, parentless teenage years. 146 mins long minus kisses, all work and no play has made James Bond a tiresome boy, and for this not Mendes but our Censor Board are to blame.
The censored version of Spectre, which is directed by the Oscar-winning British film-maker Sam Mendes, has been rated U/A, suggesting parental discretion for children under 12, for Indian cinemas.
“Yes, this decision [to cut kissing scenes]was taken by Pahlaj Nihalani. NEVER”, tweeted Ramesh Srivats, referring to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s slogan to attract foreign investment. The erotic thriller Fifty Shades of Grey was banned in March, despite being edited to remove nudity and tone down sex scenes, after the board said the language was inappropriate.
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Nihalani did not respond to a CNN request for comment.
